Objective: To analyze breakfast food varieties among children aged 6-17 in China from 2010 to 2012.
Methods: Data came from China National Nutrition and Health Surveillance in 2010-2012. By using multi-stage stratified sampling and population proportional stratified random sampling method, 5822 children aged 6-17 from 150 sites in 31 provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities in China were selected as subjects. Information on breakfast food varieties was collected by using the 24 h recall method for 3 consecutive days, and compared by different ages, genders and regions.
Results: The rate of school-aged children aged 6 to 17 years in China who ingested cereals, vegetables and fruits, meat, fish and eggs, milk, soy bean and nuts was 88.1%, 47.8%, 49.5% and 33.1% respectively. The rate of breakfast food reaching 3 kinds or above was 41.7%, and the rate of breakfast food varieties reached 3 kinds or above among children aged 15-17 years and poor rural children were lower than other groups(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in different gender.
Conclusion: It is common that the kinds of breakfast food for school-age children cannot reach 3 or above. More attention and improvement measures are needed for children of high age groups and poor rural areas.
Keywords: breakfast; children; dietary pattern; food varieties.